Posted on 09/24/2012 4:21:58 AM PDT by Evil Slayer
In a heartwarming tale of reunion this 15-year-old white is to be returned home to its family after becoming separated from them in the midst of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Shorty's owner's Louisiana home was so badly damaged by the storm that they were forced to surrender their pet pooch to caretakers as they struggled to rebuild their lives.
'They (the owners) were hit really hard during Katrina,' Dr. Blake Peurifoy told NBC News.
'They lost their home and didn’t have the ability to take care of their dog so they gave it away. They don’t know where it went from there.'
Shorty lived with the temporary family in North Carolina for seven years before going missing earlier this month.
They searched high and low for him but came up with nothing until a passer-by spotted the lost pup wandering down a Cabarrus County road.
Shorty was taken to Cabarrus Animal Hospital where veterinarians scanned his micro-chip and were able to get in touch with the original owners.
He was in a sad state, weighing around 15 pounds, his fur soiled and matted, one eye infected.
He also has a heart murmur and severe dental disease but the good news is that he's alive, much to the delight of his family.
'Apparently they were ecstatic about the dog,' Dr. Blake Peurifoy said.
'They were crying and really happy, really interested in getting the dog back whether he lives another three months or three years.'
Dr Peurifoy is treating Shorty free of charge and will keep him in the hospital for a couple of weeks before sending him home.
'I know these people have had the past seven years or so a hard life, thank God I'm not in their position, and we just hope this serves as a sort of
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Awwwww — happy dog ping.
Shorty lived with the temporary family in North Carolina for seven years...
Glad the dog is going “home” to the family who gave him up after eight years and not the “temporary” one.
Awww....fangs!
Katrina destroyed a lot of homes but I would live in my car or under a bridge before I would give up my dogs.
Yep. My dog and I would be burying our poop in the same hole in the woods before I’d give him up.
“... but I would live in my car or under a bridge before I would give up my dogs.”
That’s how I feel. They aren’t livestock, they aren’t casual pets, they are intensely loyal furry family members.
Glibly spoken. Easy to say when your home has not literally been uprooted and you need to prioritize your children’s welfare.
I’m wondering about the legalities. We’ve encountered some stories like this before.
Who really gets the dog? Who owns the dog? What will the NC people say? Will they be mad the original LA was given him back and didn’t offer any recourse?
I’m shocked that the dog didn’t end up with his very own FEMA trailer.
People who surrendered their dogs were told that they'd be kept safe and then returned. Crates were stacked up and the dogs on the bottom drowned.... and the rest were shipped off and adopted out - not returned as promised.
I am talking about me and my dogs, not other people and their kids. My kids are 49 and 40, I’d just go live with one of them.
Yes.
“You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.”
The Little Prince
The minute the alarm was sounded...that a hurricane is going to hit at 3:00 on Tuesday afternoon, my family...dogs, cats, birds, gerbils would be moved to a safer area. I might have to go back. But they would be safe.
And you can live in a travel trailer at a camp as easy as you can in a FEMA trailer.
I know lots of folks would consider this an unnecessary expense, but it would be high on my list of priorities if I lived in such an area.
You have a good idea but you have to consider that hurricanes are not very predictable. Your area might go 20 years without even being threatened by a hurricane and then you could have several in one year. Someone was talking about coastal residents not being prepared for hurricanes while he prepared for winter all year. That is easy because winter comes every year.
No, it’s true. My dogs are like my kids. You might as well shoot me. I couldn’t live with not *knowing* (firsthand) that they were safe & well cared for. But I would find a way to keep them. :shrug: I guess some of us are just “nutty” that way. So be it. (You would be surprised what people will do for even a very elderly, blind, deaf, or disabled animal, stray or dumped, in a shelter. All it takes is that “one more” phone call to the “right” person & the Grace of God)
@verga Have you ever heard of a “failed” foster? I guess this one is only semi- failed. Basically, it is a dog that if the owner or a suitable adopter isn’t found, you’re not going to traumatize the dog further by shuttling them someplace else, yet again. A bonafide “failure” is when you fall in love & adopt them yourself.
I am soooo glad that pets are now included in evacuation. God Bless the vet & the people who took care of this adorable little critter.
You have a point!
But I guess on the “hurricane-less” years one could use the trailer for needy relatives to stay in. I seem to have a constant stream of them, lol.:)
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